From Cypress Trees to Cypress Knees

From
Cypress Trees to Cypress Knees

by: Lara Miller, Natural Resource Agent

Jennifer Jones, Brooker Creek Preserve Intern

           Cypress trees can be found across
the southeast United States, and they are known to dominate the forested
wetlands of Florida.  There are two
distinct types found within Florida: the bald cypress (Taxodium distichum var. distichum)
and the pond cypress (Taxodium distichum
var. nutans). They share a few
characteristics in common, such as roots that protrude above soil, which are
sometimes called the ‘’knees,” and they both lose their leaves in the fall.
Bald cypress trees are typically larger than the pond cypress; they can grow to
heights of 150 feet and reach six feet in diameter. The leaves on each of the
cypress trees differ as well: bald cypress leaves are generally flat, and pond
cypress leaves grow scale-like, close to the branchlets (Figure 1). These trees
can live for hundreds of years, and some known Cypress trees are over 500 years
old. They are extremely flood tolerant, and this allows them to dominate swamps
and other wetlands which are known to endure long periods of flooding.

Figure 1. Side-by-side
comparison of bald cypress and pond cypress leaves.

Cypress swamps create homes for
many rare and endangered species. Everything from large mammals to birds and
insects make their homes in cypress trees and swamps. Cypress ponds are capable
of holding more water than soil, absorbing runoff from storms and preventing
floods. Cypress trees have also been known to improve water quality in their
environments. The soil and plants that are typically found within cypress ponds
can remove phosphorus and nitrogen from stormwater.

Cypress trees have been growing in
Florida for about 6,500 years. They were once logged and almost completely
removed because cypress wood is extremely durable and can be used for shingles,
siding, fence posts, and other products. Currently, cypress trees are mainly
used for saw timber and landscape mulch, although UF/IFAS Extension does not
recommend purchasing cypress mulch for your landscape. Cypress trees exist in
almost every area of Florida, from the Wakulla Springs in the panhandle all the
way to the Everglades in South Florida. These trees are a very beneficial and
beautiful species which serve important ecological functions, and are needed in
swamps in order to maintain a balanced and healthy ecosystem. 

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Source: http://solutionsforyourlife.ufl.edu/hot_topics/environment/cypress.html